Renowned Mexican Cave Explorer Dies in Spain Accident

Playa del Carmen, Mexico — The Mexican speleological community is mourning the death of Raquel Daza Brunet, a renowned scientist and explorer who played a key role in the 15th Mexican National Speleology Congress held in Playa del Carmen in October 2021.

According to the organization Cenotes Urbanos, Daza Brunet died after falling into a 25-meter-deep pit in a cave in Catalonia, Spain, where she was conducting exploration work—her greatest passion. Raquel was widely recognized for her more than 15 years of dedication to science and her enthusiasm for subterranean environments.

Her participation in the national congress left a profound mark on the Mexican speleological community, particularly in Playa del Carmen, where she collaborated closely with groups like Cenotes Urbanos, dedicated to the study and preservation of cave and cenote systems.

“Today, we mourn your departure, but we also celebrate your life. The world was better because of you, and those of us who had the privilege of knowing you will carry you forever in our souls,” read part of the collective’s tribute posted on their Facebook page.

The group also quoted revolutionary Ricardo Flores Magón in their farewell message: “The abyss will not stop us; water is more beautiful when it cascades, and if we die, we will die like suns, radiating light.” The post concluded with the Latin phrase “Sit tibi terra levis” (“May the earth rest lightly upon you”), accompanied by a photograph of Raquel descending between rock walls—a symbol of her bravery and commitment to scientific exploration.

The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), her alma mater, also expressed sorrow over her passing. The university’s Institute of Speleology lamented the loss of one of its most distinguished collaborators.